How long for red heads?

Hi everyone, I’ve been having electrolysis on my chin and upper lip for about 3 months. I have an appointment every 3 weeks, and after each I’m hair-free for about 7-10 days before additional hairs start to pop up. Here’s my question, I realize treatments usually take 6-9 months, I was just wondering if red hair is more stubborn than other colors. I don’t have a lot, so I’m concerned that the same amount is being treated each visit. However, the salon I go to is great and I like the woman who treats me.

I have not seen any liturature stating that red hair is more stubborn to eliminate than other colors. I have a client who had red hair on her chin who is basically finished, no special efforts were attempted, all is well. Hair color is provided by pigments produced in cells called ‘melanocytes’. These pigments are called melanin. People with black hair have more melanin and people with red or blonde hair less melanin. Hair color biochemistry really doesn’t affect the electrolysis proceedure. Electrolysis can eliminate any hair regardless of the color of the hair or skin. What matters is getting enough energy to the bottom of the follicle for the correct amount of time to destroy the tissue that feeds the hair.

A second area of interest to an electrologist treating ANY hair, is the stage of development that hair happens to be in: active growth verses resting/shedding stage. Growing stage is best.

If the hair fiber is coarse and deep, it may need to be treated 2 or 3 times over a period of 6-12 months. You didn’t mention what method you used to treat your chin hair before electrolysis. If you were tweezing or waxing, hopfully you have stopped so all hair is available for your practioner to see and treat.

You have more hair than you think. You’ve only had 4 treatments?? so be patient and keep going to treat those hairs that appear 7-10 days after treatment. It is biologically immpossible for hair that was treated to regrow in 7-10 days. What you are seeing is hair that was just below the skin that had not emerged at the last treatment. You will have some regrowth, but just make sure you go in for treatment to treat that regrowth (or new growth) while it’s tender, young and fragile. You will have a better kill rate if you do so.

Red hair, blonde hair and gray hair are only ‘stubborn’ when it comes to laser - not electrolysis.

If you are happy with your practioner when you are finished, please post her/his name in the referral section so all in Michigan can see.

Dee